Banning Books
Banning Books
Fredrick Douglass; an African American slave in the 1800’s, went through an immense amount of difficulties but was still able to find a way to teach himself to read and write with perseverance. Douglass realized a sad truth that, “…The same country that had enslaved him had fought a revolution in the name of freedom”(46). Some argue that certain books should be banned from schools and libraries due to their controversial references. Others believe that by doing so the government would be taking away a certain right that was clearly given to us in the Constitution such as the freedom of press. Banning books is no different than Douglass being prevented from learning to read because just as he was prohibited from being educated so are the children that are being restricted from reading some of the most vital pieces of literature, as well as taking away rights that both Fredrick Douglas and the children in school have. Education is undeniably being limited to these children much like it was for Douglass; by banning such literature they will not receive the chance to read about very important values and become better educated about world affairs and classic themes. By Fredrick Douglass finding a way to teach himself how to read and write, he learned many things he did not know such as the true state of the world: what the public school children are missing out on, getting to expand their knowledge of the world, and maybe even be able to live in it better. By the banning of these books, the government is not only interfering with a child’s educational development, but keeping them in the dark to where they do not even know what they are missing out on, just as Fredrick Douglass did not know what he was missing and once he found out it only made him desire an education more. Fredrick Douglass had a master who was superior to him and did not want him to be educated because he would know too much. Just like Douglass, the students too have a superior
Fredrick Douglass; an African American slave in the 1800’s, went through an immense amount of difficulties but was still able to find a way to teach himself to read and write with perseverance. Douglass realized a sad truth that, “…The same country that had enslaved him had fought a revolution in the name of freedom”(46). Some argue that certain books should be banned from schools and libraries due to their controversial references. Others believe that by doing so the government would be taking away a certain right that was clearly given to us in the Constitution such as the freedom of press. Banning books is no different than Douglass being prevented from learning to read because just as he was prohibited from being educated so are the children that are being restricted from reading some of the most vital pieces of literature, as well as taking away rights that both Fredrick Douglas and the children in school have. Education is undeniably being limited to these children much like it was for Douglass; by banning such literature they will not receive the chance to read about very important values and become better educated about world affairs and classic themes. By Fredrick Douglass finding a way to teach himself how to read and write, he learned many things he did not know such as the true state of the world: what the public school children are missing out on, getting to expand their knowledge of the world, and maybe even be able to live in it better. By the banning of these books, the government is not only interfering with a child’s educational development, but keeping them in the dark to where they do not even know what they are missing out on, just as Fredrick Douglass did not know what he was missing and once he found out it only made him desire an education more. Fredrick Douglass had a master who was superior to him and did not want him to be educated because he would know too much. Just like Douglass, the students too have a superior